Magna Charta
mag'na kar-ta, in English history, a famous document signed by King John June 15, 1215. King John having failed to live up to certain agreements with his barons, they took oath that "if the king delayed any longer to restore their laws and liberty, they would withdraw their allegiance and would make war upon him, until he should confirm the concession by a sealed charter." John tried to divide the barons by setting one against the other, and to separate the clergy from them; but the barons remained united. They met at Stamford and marched southward to London. John gave in, and met them in a meadow, called Runnymede, on the Thames near Windsor. Here he spent a day in discussing their demands, and finally yielded by signing the Magna Charta on the date stated. It was written in black letters in the Latin language. It contained forty-nine articles, afterward increased to sixty-three. It set forth the rights and privileges of each class of citizens and specified the powers which the king might assume.
Magna Charta corresponds in a rough way to our Constitution. It provided for the election of church dignitaries without the interference of the king. It pledged the sovereign not to levy aid without the consent of the common council of the kingdom. It limited fines to a reasonable amount. One of the most important clauses, known in history as the thirty-ninth article, declares that no free man shall be taken or imprisoned or outlawed or banished but by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land. This is the basis of the jury. Uniform weights and measures for the protection of merchants at home and abroad were provided for. As the Magna Charta was drawn up during feudal times and preceded the systematic method of collecting taxes that now prevails, no mention was made of taxation, but the claims a lord might make upon his vassal were gone over thoroughly with a view to preventing tyrannical exactions. Magna Charta is one of the world's great documents. It was confirmed repeatedly by succeeding sovereigns.
EXTRACTS FROM MAGNA CHARTA.
No scutage or aid shall be imposed in our kingdom, unless by the common council [parliament] of our kingdom, except to redeem our person, and to make our eldest son a knight, and once to marry our eldest daughter; and for this there shall only be paid a reasonable aid.
In like manner, it shall be concerning the aids of the city of London, and the city of London shall have all her ancient liberties and free customs, as well by land as by water.
Furthermore, we will and grant that all other cities, and boroughs, and towns, and ports shall have all their liberties and free customs, and shall have the common council of the kingdom concerning the assessments of their aids, except in the three cases aforesaid.
We will not, for the future, grant to any one that he may take the aid of his own free tenants, unless to redeem his body, and to make his eldest son a knight, and once to marry his eldest daughter, and for this there shall only be paid a reasonable aid.
Common pleas shall not follow our court, but be holden in some certain place. .
No constable or bailiff of ours shall take corn or other chattels of any man, unless he presently give him money for it.
No sheriffs or bailiffs of ours, or any others, shall take horses or carts of any man for carriage. Neither we, nor our officers, or others, shall take any man's timber, for our castles or other uses, unless by the consent of the owner of the timber.
There shall be one measure of wine, and one of ale, through our whole realm, and one measure of corn, that is to say, the London quarter; and one breadth of dyed cloth; . . . and the weight shall be as the measures.
No bailiff, for the future, shall put any man to his law upon his single accusation, without credible witnesses produced to prove it.
No freeman shall be taken, or imprisoned, or disseised, or outlawed, or banished, or any ways destroyed; nor will we pass upon him, or commit him to prison, unless by the legal judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land. [Habeas corpus.]
We will sell or deny, or defer, right or justice to no man.
All merchants shall have secure conduct to go out of England and to come into England, and to stay and abide there, and to pass as well by land as by water, to buy and sell, by the ancient and allowed customs, without any evil toils, except in time of war.